Wigfield is being threatened with destruction by the government, which wants to save the local salmon and so must remove a dam (clearly, Gale Norton is not Secretary of the Interior in this universe). The resulting flood would 86 their neck of the woods.

What to do? The town calls in Russell Hokes, who, having been fired from his job as a white-center-line painter on the interstates, is taking up a career as a journalist. Hokes conducts a series of interviews with the Wigfieldites, a decidely wigged-out bunch, to uncover what's worth saving about their village.

Accompanying the story are photos (by Todd Oldham) of Wigfield's citizens, who bear a striking resemblance to Ms. Sedaris and Messrs. Dinello and Colbert.

The book is published by Hyperion ($22.95) and should be hitting stores this week.

And more news from Wigfield…Brigadoon-like, Wigfield will briefly come to life as a theatre piece, performed by the authors. These are the dates:

May 9, 10, 16, and 17 at the Jane Street Theatre, 113 Jane [West Side Highway/Washington] at 7pm and 10pm. Tickets are $30, available at www.telecharge.com

A reading of "Salome" by Oscar Wilde, is having a limited run at the Barrymore, 212.239.6200. Should you go? Depends. Productions of serious plays on Broadway are nearly extinct, so we're grateful when they do come. For some reason, though, Al Pacino's Herod seems to be channeling Mel Brooks and Marissa Tomei, as much as we like her, hasn't quite got the stagecraft that the difficult title role demands. David Strathairn is affecting as John the Baptist and Dianne Wiest's Herodias is flawless. So, a mixed bag (and bear in mind we saw a preview), but a worthy effort nonetheless.